Method of packaging foodstuffs and a packaging for employing the method

ABSTRACT

A method and a packaging assembly for packaging foodstuffs which are to be preserved by the application of heat and comprising steps of wrapping the foodstuffs in thin, heat-resistant, gas and liquid-tight bags, evacuating and sealing the bags, depositing one or more sealed bags in receptacles, filling up the receptacle with a heat-transmitting liquid which dampens the movement of the bags within the receptacle and alleviates impact by external forces, and sealing the receptacle, which can then be subjected to heat treatment for the preservation of the food contents.

United States Patent [191 Jensen 1 Feb.27,1973

[54] METHOD OF PACKAGING FOODSTUFFS AND A PACKAGING FOR EMPLOYING THEMETHOD [76] Inventor: Jens-Lauge Bolund Jensen, 400

Roskilde, Fyrrevej 18, Denmark [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 72,503

[52] US. Cl. ..99/214, 99/171 R, 99/171 H, 99/171 PP [51] Int. Cl...A231 3/10 [58] Field 0iSearcl1...99/17l R, 171 H, 171 PP, 214, 99/215,216, 211

[S6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,567,463 3/1971 Williams..99/17l PP 7/1945 Waters ..99/l7lH 6/l936 Irons Primary Examiner-NormanYudkoff Assistant Examiner-Hiram H. Bernstein Attorney-Waters, Roditi,Schwartz and Nissen 5 7 ABSTRACT A method and a packaging assembly forpackaging foodstuffs which are to be preserved by the application ofheat and comprising steps of wrapping the foodstuffs in thin,heat-resistant, gas and liquid-tight bags, evacuating and sealing thebags, depositing one or more sealed bags in receptacles, filling up thereceptacle with a heat-transmitting liquid which dampens the movement ofthe bags within the receptacle and alleviates impact by external forces,and sealing the receptacle, which can then be subjected to heattreatment for the preservation of the food contents.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure L/QU/D F/LL/A G THE SPACE BETWEEN THE OUTERCO/VTfl/IVER SEWLED 54a F0005 ruFF 12 AND THE SE/QLED B146? (Mm/N512 /0SMLEQ 5,465 can/m/A/m fimasru/ r u/vaae 149600114 METHOD OF PACKAGINGFOODSTUFFS AND A PACKAGING FOR EMPLOYING THE METHOD This inventionrelates to a method of packaging foodstuffs which are to be subjected topreservation by heat treatment. It is an object of the invention toprovide a packaging that secures fulfilment of the most severerequirements for insuring that the finished article will not act as adisease carrier, which is of particular significance in connection withexport. This aim has been accomplished in a manner which, moreover,produces a commodity whose appearance is attractive to the consumer andthe fat or juice of which has not, to any appreciable degree, been ableto escape into the packaging.

For this purpose the food is wrapped in conventional manner in gas andliquid tight bars of thin heat-resistant foil material, the bags areevacuated and sealed in such a manner as to be gas and liquid tight, andone or more bags are deposited in close relationship in an outerpackaging, which is then filled with a liquid that is substantiallyinert with respect to the foil and packaging material and sealed in sucha manner as to be gas and liquid tight. In this manner it is possible topreserve the food by heat treatment after it has been packed fortransport and there will be no risk of the foods being contaminated bycontact with infectious matter before the packaging is opened, forinstance in the country to which the commodity has been exported. Thisis accomplished because the liquid which is placed into the outerpackaging acts as a heat transmitting medium so that the heatpreservation is carried out with the requisite efficiency. The liquidwill not come into contact with the food itself, but serves to protectthe bags by damping the movements of the bags against each other causedby shaking during transport and alleviates the impact of externalforces. Moreover, the foil of the bags is maintained firmly pressedagainst the contents so that there will be no room for the escape of fator juice during the heat treatment or during transport. Moreover, thereis the further advantage that a leakage in a bag can readily beascertained because the liquid in the outer packaging will leak into thebag and cause discoloration of the contents so that it will be evidentimmediately on the opening of the packaging that the article is nolonger in a proper condition, and the damaged bag may easily be removed.A still further advantage is that for long distance transport, largerpackagings may conveniently be used, for instance cans, which aresubstantially cheaper per unit of food than greater numbers of smallpackagings, whereas the cost of the thin foil bags is a minor item.

The invention thus provides a packaging that is particularly suited forlong distance transport, is extremely economical and offers an effectiveprotection of the contents. The user need only remove the wrapping andtake out the food, which can be cooked after a simple rinsing anddrying, or the bags may be removed from the outer packaging and storedin refrigerating or freezing cabinets as a well packed cooled ordeep-frozen article requiring a minimum of space and which can be soldin small quantities, i.e., in the individual bags, and in a mannerresembling that of other articles packed in bags and may thus be madehighly attractive to the consumer.

Articles preserved in the manner taught by this invention will often bekept in refrigerating or deepfreeze storage for a considerable length oftime, for instance during long-time transport, and it will therefore beexpedient to fill the packaging with a liquid having a freezing pointbelow zero, preferably below the temperature at which the food-stuffsare to be stored. Hereby it is insured that where the articles, for onereason or the other, are stored at very low temperatures the liquidprovided in the packaging will not freeze at the temperature at whichthe food is stored.

Normally the liquid used for filling the packaging will be water, butother suitable liquids may be used as well. If water is used, thefreezing point may easily be lowered, for instance by the addition ofsugar, whereby no damage whatever can be done to the product or thepackaging. But also anti-corrosive substances may be added to the water,since they cannot get into contact with the food itself.

The extra control referred to above for disclosing the presence of leakybags may be further improved by using a liquid which on contact with thefood will develop a distinct discoloration thereof. When the liquid iswater one of the coloring media normally used in the food industry maybe used, such as for instance erythrosine, which, in meat for instance,will develop a strong bluish red color. The said method has the furtheradvantage that by filling the liquid into the packaging at a temperatureof at least 50 C., preferably between 60 and C., a negative pressurewill be produced in a quite simple manner in the packaging and thedenting of the packaging will immediately disclose whether the negativepressure has been maintained or a leakage has occurred. This control isknown in connection with canned goods, but here the negative pressure isobtained in a particularly simple manner associated with the specificmethod of packaging.

In the accompanying drawing, the sole FIGURE is a partly sectional viewof a container arrangement provided in accordance with the invention.

In the invention which also relates to a packaging for foods orfoodstuffs 12 which are to be subjected to heat preservation afterpackaging, this packaging comprises bags '14 of thin, heat-resistant inthe sense that it is resistant to destruction by heat, foil material 10for receiving the food and an outer packaging 10 in which the filledbags are packed closely together and which is then filled up with aheat-transmitting damping medium consisting of a liquid 18 which issubstantially inert with respect to the foil and packaging material. Thepackaged articles may then be preserved by the application of heat andwhen finished they will be effectively protected both mechanically andchemically and can be subjected to long and rough transport withoutbeing damaged.

What I claim is:

1. A method of packaging foodstuffs for shipping, said method comprisinginserting the foodstuff into bags of thin impermeable sheet materialresistant to destruction by heat of temperatures of up to about 70 C.,evacuating and'sealing said bags, packing the bags tightly in an outercontainer, filling the remaining space of said outer container with aliquid which is substantially inert in relation to the material of thebags and the container and which dampens the movement of the of thefoodstuff, the liquid being filled into the outer container at atemperature of at least 50C.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising storing the arrangement at arelatively low temperature and wherein the liquid which fills the outercontainer has a freezing point below the temperature at which thefoodstuff is stored.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising storing the arrangement at arelatively low temperature and wherein the liquid which fills the outercontainer has a freezing point below the temperature at which thefoodstuff is stored.